Vampire
by A Single Drop of Blood
Summary: Bella's transformation in becoming a vampire from her point of view , along with how she adjusts to being a vampire.
1. Chapter 1

Pain.

Pain everywhere. Burning through me, coursing through every molecule of my being. A fire, burning me relentlessly from the inside out. A thousand times worse than before, with James. A million times worse. Nothing should hurt this much. I was a fool to think I could take it so easily. As the pain clouds my vision,

I scream.

Fire.

Ever burning, never letting up, spreading through me at an unbearable rate. Vision was lost long ago to the pain. I feel my bones breaking and healing, again and again, reforming my body. It hurts like nothing before. I feel nothing, nothing. Except the pain. The pain is ever-flowing. I scream Edward's name. At least I think I do. I can't hear anything I am saying. Something cold touches my face for a brief moment. Edward. My smile lasts less than a second before my continuously breaking and reforming bones send out a fresh wave of pain.

I scream.

Sleep.

It would have been welcome. Oh how I wished to sleep. But, with my never relenting pain, it was not a possibility in the slightest degree. I waited.

Waited.

Waited.

Waited.

The sleep never came. Only the pain.

I scream.

Time.

Second stretch into minutes and minutes stretch into hours. Hours stretch into endless days. Time has no meaning. Only the pain. Burning. The venom spreading though my body. This is what I wanted. I should be happy. But, as the venom crept painfully through my body, happiness was the farthest thing from my mind. I wanted it to end. That was it. I heard Edward's voice whispering, "Two days left." So, a day had passed. Only one day! I wasn't sure I could take the two others. The pain engulfed my entire body by now.

I scream.

Edward.

The only thing that I could think of when I tried to distract myself from the pain. My angel. His bronze hair, the most human part of him. Perfect in every way, his touch, even in the most casual way, embarrassing me by misbehaving. He has saved my life many times. I have even saved his life once. Without him, I am an empty shell, lifeless, uncaring. He is my life. I love him. Even through my happiness at the thought of my vampire love, nothing could distract me from the pain. I call out Edward's name.

I scream.

Graduation.

Graduation was amazing. Unfortunately, the weather was perfect. That meant the Cullens didn't show up. They didn't seem bothered at all by it. 'What was one graduation out of many?' they asked. Though it didn't bother them, it did bother me. I kept wishing they would find some way they would find to show up. But they didn't. Nor did Charlie. H still wasn't speaking to me. That was fine. Edward would have been proud of me. I didn't fall over my dress until after graduation was over. After graduation, I went straight to Edward's house. He did promise. Even if he wouldn't do it, though I dearly wished that he would, Carlisle would. I was determined. It was foolish. As the memories flashed past me, even one as happy as graduation, the pain burned through my entire being.

I scream.

Marriage

After Edward asked me to marry him after we got back from Italy, he hadn't asked about it for a while. So I figured he had forgotten it. Good. I wasn't ready yet. Until that day…

**FLASHBACK**

It was a week before graduation. Edward and I were in the meadow, because it was sunny outside. We had been there for a few hours, none of us speaking, only lying there together, before it started to feel awkward. I sat up.

"OK, what?" He looked up at me slowly, as if I was pulling him from a train of thought.

"Hm?" He said it drawn out, distractedly.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"What?" He said, surprised. He sat up quickly, so that his face was a mere foot away from me. His sweet, wonderful scent stunned me, and it took me a minute to remember how to form a coherent question.

"What did I do? You were just sitting there, not saying anything…" I broke off, not sure how to put my thoughts into words.

"No, no." he said quickly. I had to concentrate to catch it all. "You didn't do anything." I opened my mouth to speak but he held a finger to my lips, silencing me. I glowered at him. "You will have to excuse me. I was thinking about something…" His face had the most bizarre expression on his face, like he was contemplating whether or not to continue.

"What were you thinking about?" I was curious now. What was he thinking about so hard? I wanted to know the reason he was so distracted, the reason behind that bizarre expression. But I also wanted to hear his voice. Hs soft, melodic voice with his perfect articulation that could only be picked up in an earlier century.

"I was thinking…" his voice was careful, uncertain. His eyes were wary as they looked into mine. But they changed, surprising me. His eyes were suddenly tired, and full of ancient grief. He sighed.

"I want to marry you, Bella." His tone was resigned.

I stared at him. He took me completely off guard.

"I told you," I stated. "I-"

He groaned. I glared at him.

"Isabella," he said my name slowly. It sounded wonderful when he said my name, like a song. I wanted him to say it again and again. "Bella." He smiled. "If you aren't willing to marry me, to agree to such a minor thing as _marriage_, how can I expect you to be able to handle becoming a vampire?" I was surprised at his casual use of the word, but kept my expression controlled.

"Edward," I thrilled at his name, my heart soaring. The reaction, which we both noticed, made me smile. "You know I love you. I don't need to _marry_ you," I wrinkled my nose at the word. He noticed, raising one perfect, arched brow. "to prove that." I smiled again, and leaned forward to lay my cheek against his perfect, icy chest. He pressed his face into my hair, placing one hand on my back.

"I know what you love me. Just as you know that I love you. And always will," he murmured, "but I want to be able to call you mine, to be able to hold you in my arms and know that you are mine forever… officially." I looked up at him, and his golden eyes were very soft. He smiled my crooked smile, and it melted my heart. He was so perfect, an angel. I smiled, and then blushed.

"What?" I caught him off guard with my blushing. He looked at me, astonished. That made me blush deeper. He bit his lip to fight back a smile.

I shook my head quickly back and forth. "It's too embarrassing."

He rolled his eyes. "Everything embarrasses you."

I still shook my head. He sighed impatiently. He then looked at me, his golden eyes mesmerizing. "Won't you tell me?" His voice, the voice of an archangel, so impossible to resist. I looked down at our entwined hands, knowing all too well the power of his eyes, still shaking my head. All the while, I was turning redder and redder. I probably would have turned purple if I had gotten any redder. Finally giving up on trying to persuasively get it out of me, he tried demanding.

"Tell me," he finally commanded.

I sighed, looking into his eyes, golden, soft, perfect, and took in his image. His sparkling magnificence, his bronze hair, the purple circles under is eyes, his sparkling teeth as he beamed at me. He was so beautiful.

"You…" I began, but embarrassment cut me off.

"Yes?" Again, that dazzling smile.

"I love you. Especially your smile." How on Earth does he keep getting me to tell him these things?

A triumphant smile slowly lit his face. "Really?"

"Would you like a round of applause?" Sarcastic.

He kissed my forehead then. All thought was lost, and we both listened to my heart misbehave. I blushed again.

"Bella," Edward's voice was quiet and soft. I looked into his eyes then. They were cautious, as though he were very thoroughly thinking through what he was saying. His white, glimmering hand flashed into his pocket, reappearing, only to be hidden behind his back. It all happened so fast that, if I had not been near eye level with his chest, I would not have noticed it. Oh my god.

"You…" my voice broke. "You're proposing." I accused him.

"Yes I am." His melodic voice was very soft. I barely heard it. My heart sped up exponentially. His hand reappeared, only to expose a small, velvet black box. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. He was proposing to me. And I was going to say yes!

I knew before he asked the question what my answer would be. He was Edward. Renee or no Renee, Charlie or no Charlie. Nothing could keep me away from him. I was forever his. I felt hot tears starting to bubble up to the surface. He smiled slightly, his gold eyes almost liquid, they were so soft.

"Bella," he repeated. "You are everything in the world to me. No, you _are_ my world. You are my life. For as long as I can remember since meeting you, we have had a bond. It started when I saved your life. From then on we connected, slowly growing closer, our bond growing stronger. And then I brought you here, to the meadow. It was then I knew it. I loved you. There was no denying it. I cannot stay away from you without living in absolute misery. Isabella Marie Swan, I love you. Will you marry me?" He opened the small, velvet box to expose a princess cut topaz stone, resting beautiful gold band made of thin, entwining metal. I stared at it. It was beautiful. All I could do was stare at it. Seconds passed. Minutes. I still hadn't found my voice. Edward looked up at me, a nervous expression on his face.

"Bella?" His voice was cautious. I looked unwillingly from the beautiful ring resting in the black velvet box, to his sparkling face, which was suddenly unsure. "Please say 'yes?'" It sounded like a question. His voice was quiet and pleading. The tears I was trying so hard to keep from falling spilled over my cheeks, falling silently down my face. I smiled at him, before throwing myself at him, falling into his arms. He fell back, caught completely caught off guard. I kissed him, putting all my emotion into it. He kissed me back, putting more emotion into it than ever before. I pulled away slowly, when I got really dizzy, only to lay my head against his glimmering, icy, perfect chest. "Yes," I whispered, gasping silently for breath.

He wrapped his arms around me, grabbing my left hand for a brief second, before letting go of it. I looked down, and saw the ring, glittering in the sunlight. It was beautiful, a symbol of our everlasting love. We were forever. I kissed his chest, before whispering almost inaudibly into his stone chest, "I love you."

**END FLASHBACK**

At remembrance of this memory, I rubbed my pinky along the sides of the ring. In a flash, an icy hand, Edward's, was over mine. I smiled, before a fresh wave of pain, but somehow not as painful, shot through my body.

I scream.

Charlie

His face, expression, when I told him about my engagement, made leaving him a little easier. He would think I just ran off with Edward because he didn't accept us. I wanted to cry out to him, in apology, for how badly I would soon hurt him. Worse than a year ago, when James was hunting me. I felt tears flowing down my face as I remembered the conversation.

**FLASHBACK**

"Dad!" I called out nervously to Charlie, having just opened the door. Edward was beside me, holding my hand. His hand covered the ring. For now. I gulped as I heard him walking down the stairs.

"Are you sure I have to tell him?" I whispered quickly.

He laughed quietly before nodding.

"Damn." I whispered back.

Charlie came down the stairs then, a surprised look on his face.

"Hello, Bella." His voice was warm. "Edward." Icy, dismissive. He still disliked him. He always disliked him, ever since the incident with James. I held Edward's hand tighter. Charlie noticed, his expression tightening slightly. I noticed that as well. I tried to ignore it, putting as much excitement into my voice as I could manage without making it sound fake.

"Dad, Edward and I, we have an announcement." He raised his eyebrows slowly, looking to Edward. Edward smiled slightly. Charlie's face remained icy and unwelcome. Edward's smile faded. I gulped. This would definitely be colorful.

"Um…Dad, Edward and I…are getting married." I watched as Charlie's face slowly drained of color. I felt Edward tense next to me, probably reacting to his thoughts. Then, slowly, slowly, slowly, Charlie's face began to fill up with a slightly purple color. Uh-oh.

"What?" His voice was restrained. He was trying very hard not to yell.

"Edward…he proposed," Charlie's face grew slowly more purple as he turned to stare at Edward, who actually flinched. "and I said yes… so … now we're engaged." If I thought Charlie's face couldn't get more purple, I was wrong. I flinched as his head looked at the two of us, a disbelieving look on his face. When his eyes stopped our hands, his over mine, Edward removed his hand, to expose my beautiful ring. He gaped at it for a minute before blinking quickly. We entwined our hands, and both of us looked to Charlie. He didn't speak.

"Dad?" My voice was unsure. His face started paling again. Edward grew slowly stiffer at my side. What on Earth was he thinking about that made Edward so uncomfortable? "Say something?" It was a question.

I wish I hadn't asked for him to say something.

"No." His teeth were ground together behind his carefully composed face. "No."

"Er, what?" No? Did he think he could…what, forbid me from marrying Edward? Not a chance. But I didn't want to set off an eruption, so I didn't snap.

"No." He shook his head, now speaking so quietly that I had to read his lips. "Bella." He turned to me now, his expression having a slightly hopeful edge to it. "Can I speak to you for a minute?" I moved forward, Edward moving with me. Charlie glared at him. "Alone?" He said through his teeth. I looked up at Edward's face. He was looking down to me, too.

His eyes were full of warning.

Edward backed up, slowly releasing my hand, only to sit, waiting, on the couch by the door. Charlie beckoned for me to follow him.

He brought me into my room. He sat on the bed, and I sat in Renee's rocking chair. I glared at him.

"Bells." He spoke hopefully. Why would that be? "Bella, I don't think you should marry him. He's not right for you, Bella." His voice was strict now.

Suddenly, Edward's expression made sense. Charlie was trying to make me change my mind. Well, good luck with that. Nothing could tear me apart from him. I only continued to glare at him.

"Edward is completely and one hundred percent right for me." I said it slowly, so the words would soak in, and, hopefully, convince him.

Charlie shook his head.

"If he is so right for you, why did he leave? Without any contact for six months?! Bella, how can you be so stubborn?" His voice was hard, like a stone.

"He left because Carlisle got a job offer in L.A." I spoke, matching his icy tone.

"Bella. I do not approve of you marrying him. I will not have him in this house."

That hurt. I was hoping to get his acceptance, for him to at least …_like_ Edward. Apparently, no such luck was possible.

"Well, that's fine. As I said before, I will move out. I'll move in with Edward." I spoke confidently. "I am of the legal age of adulthood, and, whether you like it or not, Charlie," I deliberately said his name, so he would know I was one hundred percent serious, "I am marrying Edward. I love him." I smiled, looking down at my beautiful ring.

"Out." Charlie's voice was sharp.

"What?" Was he actually kicking me out?! My voice suddenly had a hint of anger in it.

"Out. I will _not_ have him in this house anymore, and if that means that you will have to move out too, so be it." I could see that he did not really mean that, that he really wanted me to stay. It was an attempt, a pointless attempt, but all the same, an attempt, to break me up with Edward. Well, we'll see what happens when I call his bluff.

"Fine." I grabbed my suitcase, picking up my things. It didn't take more than a few minutes to gather all of my things together. Charlie was still gaping at me in shock. "Good bye, Charlie." I picked up my one suitcase, and brought it down the stairs with me. An unsurprised Edward took my bag from me. He walked me slowly out the door. I didn't look back until we were out the door.

Charlie's face was surprised. "How did you get here?" I suddenly remembered that we, well…to be honest, _Edward_, ran here.

"We walked," said Edward simply, speaking for the first time. We both looked to him, surprised.

Charlie just shook his head, a furious expression on his face as he stared at Edward, before turning into the house. Edward pulled me up on his back when Charlie had gone into the house, and started running, towards his house. I cried into his back, knowing how much I had hurt him, and that soon, I would hurt him more.

**END FLASHBACK**

As I remembered such harsh memories, I cried. Though this pain was very different from the one I was experiencing now, it still tore into me. I noticed that the pain was beginning to lessen. It still ripped painful waves through my body, though. So, as the pain rippled through my body and tears streamed down my face,

I scream.

Vision

It's slowly returning. I see Edward, his expression anguished, beside me. I want to reach out to him, to comfort him but the pain still binds me from major movement like that. I smiled, his face, though so worried, was still more beautiful than any human face. As mine would soon be, I realized with a thrill. Edward's icy hand was suddenly on mine again, and I smiled. He noticed. He smiled slightly, and whispered very softly; I'm surprised I was able to hear it at all; "One day left." So, another day had past. A wave of relief spread over me as I realized that it would soon be over. But then, the pain came back, and it took over everything else.

I scream.

Jacob

With everything else put aside, I had no choice but to think about what I would do about Jacob. Would he hate me? Would he stay away from me with a degree of permanence now? The thought made me immensely sad. I wanted to keep him my friend, my best friend. But he kept insisting it was impossible. I still remembered his face, crumpled in pain, when I saw him last. He wouldn't answer my calls again, and that made me both angry and upset. I thought our underlining friendship couldn't be damaged. Apparently not. The pain of losing his friendship accompanied the slowly dimming pain then.

I scream.

Third Day.

I think this day was the longest. It felt like it. The pain, though still excruciating, was lessening. That kept me in the current mind state of repeating, "It's almost over. It's the last day." Of course, that made the day stretch out endlessly. I cried out to Edward, who held my hand, naturally, refusing to let go. Not that I wanted him to. I fingered my ring again, and smiled. For the first time in three painful, long days,

I didn't scream.

Waking

Finally, _finally_, the pain stopped. For a while, I just lie there, unmoving, waiting for the pain to come back. When it didn't, I sat up. Edward looked at me, curious. He jumped up, rising to his feet quickly. I saw it, though. I saw every movement. I knew, though, that it was faster than a human movement. I suddenly realized that I was wearing something different; it felt different. I looked down, but my clothes were the same.

I suddenly realized how sensitive I was. I swore I could feel every thread in my shirt, every piece of my jeans rubbing against me.

When I saw Edward, looking at me curiously, I beamed. I heard his muted intake of breath, and, looked away, embarrassed. I didn't feel the heat on my face, though. It was then that it hit me.

I was a vampire. I was actually a vampire.

It was over.

I smiled at Edward, who brought me into his arms. I lay my head on his chest, smiling. Edward then pulled back, only to lean in to press his lips to mine. He no longer held back. He could now kiss with all his emotion. I kissed him back, putting all of my emotion into it as well. I was glad I was a vampire. Nothing would have excused missing this. My hands moved greedily to his face, just as his moved to mine. We both memorized each other's faces. It lasted a lot longer than they usually did, too, because neither of us needed to worry about my running out of breath. After a few minutes of passionate kissing, I slowly pulled away, having heard voices.

"I don't hear her screaming anymore. Does that mean it's over?" Jasper's whispering voice came from up above us. I looked curiously upward, listening with my sensitive ears.

"I think so." Alice's soft, tinkling voice was soon followed by footsteps, two pairs, walking to the stairway.

Almost immediately after, Alice and Jasper were at eth bottom of the stairs. Alice gasped and ran, at full speed, to me. The sound of her impact sounded like thunder crashing.

"Oh my god, Bella! You're gorgeous!" She embraced me in a tight hug, and I hugged her back.

I then heard Rosalie coming down the stairs, and her face

oh

her face was furious

why?

This does not bode well...


	2. Chapter 2

Rosalie

Rosalie was simply… glaring at me. I looked away quickly. What did I do? I looked up to Edward, hoping for a hint. He was glaring back at Rosalie. He saw me out of the corner of his eye and shook his head once. I looked back to Rosalie, confused. After a minute, she stopped glaring at me, only to disappear back up the stairs and to Emmett. Oh well… maybe I could get Emmett to tell me later or something…

Alice

She was grinning at me. I smiled back shyly. She ran up to me then, and I didn't like the expression on her face. I frowned when she pulled me away from Edward. I smiled though, when I saw him frowning, too.

"Alice?" I said, surprised at the musical tones in my voice. "Where are you taking me?"

She kept pulling me up the stairs, simply grinning.

"To my room, of course."

"Why?" I was afraid. She couldn't seriously want to dress me up now, could she?

"You need to change, silly. You've had the same clothes on four three days."

I smiled then, relieved. I really did need a shower and a new pair of clothes. I let her take me to her room.

When we got inside her room, she pulled me into the bathroom. She pushed me inside, before closing the door behind me.

Reflection

I turned to face the shower, when the mirror caught my eye. I stopped. A girl looked back at me from the mirror. There was no way that she could be me. She was way too beautiful. I raised my hand, and so did she. I couldn't believe it. My hair, a chocolate brown, was straighter, longer, down to my waist instead of to halfway down my back. My face was a beautiful, paled color, and I ran my fingers across the shadows under my eyes, the fuller, perfect lips that were mine. I did a double take when I saw my eyes. Crimson red. I was frozen in shock for a moment, before I remembered that all young vampires' eyes were red for the first year. I stepped back, to see the rest of myself. My body figure was more of an hourglass shape now, more filled out. I smiled.

Shower

I opened the shower door and took my shower. Everything was a new experience for me, even showering. I could feel each drop of water against my marble skin. And the warmth! Heavenly. After a ten-minute bath, I stepped out, wrapping a towel around me.

Discovery

I saw a brush on the sink and smiled. Alice must have known I would want to comb out my hair. I reached for the brush. It rose up slowly, without my touching it. I yelped. It dropped. Did I do that? I concentrated on the brush again, willing it to rise. My mouth dropped open when it slowly rose again, shaking slightly from my lack of control. I reached out for my brush, and it came over to my hand. My eyes were wide open as I brushed through my hair. When I finished combing it out, I set down the brush. I put on the dark blue jeans and the black blouse that Alice had also left out. It fit fairly well, only a little loose.

Testing

I looked at the door from where I was, perched on the edge of the tub. I wondered if I would be able to manipulate things as well. I concentrated on the doorknob. It wiggled, but didn't turn. Hm. Maybe I just didn't do it right…

I imagined it turning then, opening slowly. I felt very silly, until the handle began to turn, slowly, before the door opened. My mouth dropped.

Alice was looking at the door, smiling when it opened. Her smile vanished when I wasn't behind the door, but still at the tub.

"Bella?" Cautious.

"Yeah, Alice?" My voice was cautious as well.

"How did you open the door from all the way back there?"

"Um…" How do I explain? I walked out of the bathroom and to her bed, sitting beside her.

"Bella?"

"Like this?" I looked at the door, willing it to close with my mind. Slowly, it closed. Alice looked surprised. Her mouth was open slightly. I wondered why she didn't foresee this. Maybe because it wasn't exactly a decision…

"Alice?"

"You need to see Carlisle."

Carlisle

She took my hand and began to lead me out of her room. We went across the hallway, until we were in front of the door that led to Carlisle's study. We paused for an instant outside of his door.

"Come in," Carlisle said quietly.

Alice pulled me into his study. I was again amazed by all the books, all the paintings…

"How can I help you two?" he asked politely.

"Bella… has something to show you," Alice said slowly.

He looked to me, curious. "Yes?"

"Umm…"

I looked over to Alice, and she nodded. I looked back in front of me, and saw the pencils and pens scattered over Carlisle's desk. That would work, I guess…

I imagined them rising up together, and moving over until they were neatly lined up at the edge of his desk. Slowly, they began to rise. Carlisle's eyebrows shot up in surprise. I lost concentration, and they dropped, bouncing off his desk.

"Sorry," I murmured, embarrassed.

"Not a problem," he said, leaning over to pick up the few pens that had escaped his desk. He placed them back on his desk, before turning back to me. "That's very interesting. Bella, would you try to move something else? Something bigger, maybe?"

I looked around the room, seeing nothing that caught my eye. I looked back to his desk. That is bigger…

I concentrated on it, willing it to rise with my mind. It took a little more effort than the pens, but slowly, the desk groaned and lifted up, until it was above Carlisle's head.

"Amazing," he muttered.

I put the desk back down, and it groaned again upon impact. I smiled shyly. Carlisle smiled back. I heard footsteps from outside the door, pausing in front of Carlisle's room. I turned, smiling when I saw Edward.

Edward

"Bella?"

I moved instantly over to him, and he smiled. He wrapped his arm around my waist and I leaned my head into his chest. He looked back to Carlisle and Alice. "What's going on?"

"Bella has an ability," Alice said simply.

Surprise crossed Edward's face. "What?"

"Telekinesis." It was Carlisle who spoke now.

Edward looked down at me, and I smiled. "Can I see?"

"Um… sure…" I had just gone through this… how many times would I have to "show people?"

I made Carlisle's desk rise up again, this time without looking at it. I smiled, surprised. Carlisle seemed surprised, too. I made it rise up a few feet, before placing it back on the ground with a soft thud.

I looked up to Edward, and his face was full of surprise. I looked away shyly. I saw him smiling out of the corner of his eyes. I looked back to him, and saw he was looking at Alice, whom I had only now just noticed wasn't moving.

Vision

As the vision they both saw continued, he frowned, his brows knitting together. There were a few minutes of silence. Carlisle and I exchanged a glance. Both of us were out of the loop here. Finally, the vision ended. Alice blinked, frowning. She and Edward exchanged a look of frustration.

"What did you see?" I asked Alice.

I noticed her eyes flicker to one particular painting. It was the one of Volterra, with the Volturi on the top. Then, she looked back to me.

"They're coming?"


	3. Chapter 3

Volturi

"They're coming?" I asked.

She nodded, still looking at Edward. I looked over to him as well. His face was conflicted, seeming to be between anger and smugness. An odd combination…

"Edward?"

He looked down to me, before recomposing his expression and smiling. I smiled back warily. Did I miss something?

"Is that all then?" he asked Carlisle.

"Yes, you can go."

No Longer Glass

Edward led me out of the room and up the stairs to his room. Once we got into his room, he set me on the futon and sat next to me. I leaned into his chest, inhaling his sweet scent, so much more wonderful with my sensitive sense of smell. He wrapped his arms around my back and pressed his lips into my hair. I smiled into his marble chest. He pulled back to smile at me.

"Yes?"

I smiled at him, glancing at my ring. He followed my gaze and smiled at me when I looked back to him.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you, too."

He tilted his head and leaned in to press his lips gently to mine, lighter than a moth's wing. I pulled back an instant after his lips touched mine. He frowned at me.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm not going to break, so stop treating me like I will. I'm not a weak human anymore. Stop treating me like I'm made of glass," I said, frowning at him.

He smiled, amused, before leaning forwards to kiss me again. He kissed me with more passion than before. I kissed him back, putting all of my emotion into it. My breathing quickly turned to panting as my hands moved to his face, just as his moved to mine. I fell back onto the futon, and he fell after me, our lips never separating. I could feel his marble body against every line of mine. My hands memorized his face, just as his were tracing mine.

He froze then, his lips becoming unresponsive. He pulled back slightly, exhaling. I frowned at him.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Emmett is yelling at me…" he said, frowning.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"I'm not really sure… he's mostly cursing me out… It's kind of hard to kiss you with that in my head," he apologized.

"That's okay."

He sat up then, pulling me up with him. We both stood up and headed for his door. I decided to show off and opened the door with my mind. He was surprised for a moment, before looking down to me, smiling.

"That's going take a little bit to get used to," he chuckled, smiling.

I smiled back at him.

Emmett

We got to the stairway, before we heard a loud crashing sound coming from outside, along with a stream of cursing coming from Emmett. Edward and I ran to the front door. Edward opened it and I could see, about a mile off, Emmett. He was snarling, and hitting trees with enough force to knock them over.

"What the?" Edward said in disbelief.

"What did you _do_?" I asked. What could get Emmett so upset?

"I didn't do anything…" Edward said, confused. "At least, I don't _think_ I did anything…"

Edward ran up to Emmett then. I heard footsteps behind me, and then Alice was next to me. I looked over to her, and her expression was worried.

"Alice?" I said quietly.

"Emmett is going to make a mistake, and I am here to stop him from making it," she said with a determined face.

I looked back to Edward and Emmett then.

"What did I _do_?" Edward asked as Emmett punched a tree, splintering it.

Emmett growled, turning to face Edward and punched him, sending Edward backwards several inches. I took a step forwards, but Alice held my shoulder.

"What the hell, Emmett? Are you going to say something or just keep hitting stuff?" Edward said. He was growling now, too.

Emmett turned, furious, and ran towards Edward. The sound of their impact was like thunder, and together they flew into a tree.

"It's your fault!" Emmett yelled.

"_What is?_" Edward exclaimed, dodging a punch. "Emmett, _what did I do?_"

"Don't play dumb" Emmett snarled. "You _know_ what I'm talking about!"

After a minute of growling from Emmett and Edward dodging Emmett's furious attacks, Edward snarled. "You will _not_ bring Bella into this!" He jumped to the left to avoid Emmett.

"What are they doing?" I asked Alice. "What did Edward do?"

She sighed. "Emmett is being an idiot. Rosalie was jealous of you when she saw you, because she thinks you are prettier than she is now, and ran off. Emmett doesn't know where she is, and Emmett is blaming Edward because he turned you."

"You've _got_ to be kidding me, Emmett," Edward groaned, dodging another punch. "It's not my fault Rose does a bad job dealing with her temper."

Emmett only snarled, throwing another punch.

Edward kept jumping around, dodging punches, and Emmett kept throwing them.

This Stops Now

"This is stupid," I said.

"Emmett, enough. Seriously. Just quit fooling around and we'll go look for Rosalie," Alice said, with no luck.

Emmett kept getting angrier as time went on. What was his problem?

"OK," I said, growling. "This stops. Now."

I let out a slow breath, closing my eyes. I imagined Emmett freezing in place, unable to move.

"What the hell?" Emmett said after a minute. I opened my eyes, and saw Emmett wasn't moving. That wasn't the weirdest part. He had been lunging for Edward when my telekinesis took place, so he was frozen… in the air. Edward looked over to me, and back to Emmett. Then he burst out laughing. Alice began laughing, too.

"I guess things are going to be a little different around here now," Edward said, still laughing. "Or Bella will put us back in place."

I released my hold on Emmett, and he fell ungracefully to the ground. Edward was at my side in the next instant, wrapping his arm around my waist. I smiled at him.

Emmett still looked furious. He was still angry with Edward? What the hell? He began charging towards us again.

Edward and Alice both suddenly ran towards Emmett. They both caught him and pulled him back, away from me.

"You. Need. To. Get. A. Grip. Emmett," Alice said through her teeth.

"You deserved it," Edward added, growling again. "You do _not_ get to go attacking her."

Shock ran through me. He was coming to attack me?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Edward and Alice both suddenly ran towards Emmett. They both caught him and pulled him back, away from me._

"_You. Need. To. Get. A. Grip. Emmett," Alice said through her teeth._

"_You deserved it," Edward added, growling again. "You do not get to go attacking her."_

_Shock ran through me. He was coming to attack me?_

Monster

Why was Emmett coming to attack me? Through all the memories I had of my time with the Cullens, Emmett had always accepted me, always been like a big brother to me. So… why was he attacking me now?

Was it really my fault that Rosalie had run off? I looked into Emmett's eyes, seeing only hatred and fury. What happened to laughing, teddy-bear Emmett? Did he really… hate me?

Maybe he wasn't the only one who hated me. I knew that Rosalie did, but… did the others? Did Carlisle, or Esme? Did Alice and Jasper hate me?

I felt a lump quickly rising in my throat. I must be a monster. I have been a vampire in this household for less than a week, and I was already tearing this family apart. How could they all _not _hate me? I whipped around, the lump growing to a point that breathing was growing difficult. I began to run into the forest, not paying attention to where I was going.

"Bella!" I heard Edward call, and I heard the sound of passage behind me as he released Emmett to pursue me. It didn't take long before he had caught up with me, and he grabbed my wrist, pulling me to a stop.

"Let me go, Edward," I choked, trying to loosen my grip.

"Bella, Emmett is just-"

"Edward," I interrupted. "Let me go." I was tearing their family apart. I was a monster. If I cared for this family at all, and I do, I _really_ do, then I would leave, so that they could be happy.

"Bella," Edward tried again, his expression looking almost hurt. I suddenly realized that this was what Edward felt like, when he was leaving me. Except this time, I wasn't going to give that horrid promise that he gave me. No, that had torn me apart, and I wasn't going to do that to him. I cared about him too much to hurt him like that.

"Edward." With one, swift pull I managed to pull my wrist out of his grip. He looked into my eyes, shock and hurt mixed into his expression. The lump grew and grew; I wasn't sure how much longer that I could hold it all in. I stared into his eyes for an endless amount of time, unable to say goodbye. Maybe, I could stay, and maybe… maybe just Edward and I could escape together, just the two of us.

I shook my head. No, if I wanted his family to stop from becoming any more torn apart, I had to leave. Even if that meant leaving the one thing that meant the world to me.

The lump in my throat disabling me from being able to say goodbye, I turned, running swiftly into the forest, faster than I had ever gone before.

I took one final glimpse behind me, unable to stop myself. I saw Edward, his hands over his face, falling limply to his knees.

A/N: Don't worry, it's not over. But the more faster I get reviews, the faster I will update:D So click that little button down there and put in a review. It only takes ten seconds of your time, and it makes a very happy author. Plus, you will get some imaginary cookies! Don't you want a cookie?????


	5. Chapter 5: 50 years later

50 Years Later

I sat in the tall grass, staring blankly at the waterfall before me. The memory of that day still filled with anguish. Every day since then, I was tempted to run back to Edward, to beg him to forgive me, but I resisted. Just as he had said before, it was better if we were apart, even if it tore us apart each and every day. If I stayed away, the Cullens would be fine…

I lived with a coven for about twenty years, but I was the only one who didn't have a mate, and it kept reminding me of why I didn't have one. I couldn't take it anymore. I left to travel alone, and I have been alone ever since, feeding off of the animals in this Alaskan forest.

I jumped into the icy water to clear my head. I relished in the momentary shock of the temperature before swimming down to the bottom of the lake. My chocolate brown hair swirled around me in the clear water.

I saw movement at the water's surface, too quick to be human. Curious, I slowly swam towards the movement. When I broke the surface of the water, I saw a familiar figure, facing away from me. Alice.

I immediately began arguing with myself. One part of me wanted to run up to her, and another part wanted to run away. The two parts battled in my mind, but when a familiar bronze-haired vampire emerged from the trees after her, the decision was made.

I ran.

Well, I didn't really run, so much as swim as fast as I could towards the lake bottom. I couldn't see him. Not now. These past fifty years have been agonizing without him, and who was to say that he hadn't moved on? I wasn't going to torture myself with hope, only to have it smashed down again. I could just wait until they had passed and then run to find a new home, far away from the Cullens.

I watched the Cullens carefully from the lake bottom. Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper came forth from the trees next, laughing. I waited for Carlisle and Esme to follow after them, but they never did.

Alice stepped gingerly out of her dress, exposing a black one-piece bathing suit. She jumped in the water, followed by the other Cullens. Well, everyone except Edward. He simply sat at the water's edge, looking without seeing at the waterfall that, only moments before, I was staring at.

The fact that the Cullens remained at the water's surface made it much easier to avoid being seen. I cursed myself for not running when I had the chance.

I watched Edward more than I watched the others. Just because I couldn't talk to him didn't mean that I couldn't admire him while I had the chance…

Though vampires are physically forced to remain the same for all eternity, he looked different. He seemed older, and the purple bruises under his eyes seemed much darker than what I remembered. At first I assumed he must need to hunt, but his golden eyes said otherwise. He didn't smile, didn't laugh with the others.

I say the other beckoning to him, for him to join them in the water. He shook his head, saying something I couldn't understand. I blinked, and Emmett was gone, only to reappear behind Edward. I understood his plan an instant before he shoved Edward into the icy lake. The others laughed, and Edward smiled, though it didn't seem genuine. I wondered what was bothering him, and yearned to comfort him in whatever it was. It took great strength to remain in place.

I panicked when the others began swimming in deeper and deeper water. Edward swam, too, but downwards, rather than remaining at the surface with the others. Oh God. He saw me.


	6. Chapter 6: Missed

Missed

He was faster than I was ready for, and I swam as fast as I could

towards a large rock that would hide me from view, praying that he would join the others, and yet wishing he would find me as well.

No sooner than I was hidden behind the rock did Edward come into view again, looking directly at me. His mouth opened in surprise, and we both stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore; I swam away, towards the surface, no longer caring if anyone saw me. The instant that I reached the surface, I gasped for breath as I tried to run through the knee-deep water. I heard a splash as Edward reached the surface as well, pursuing me just as he did fifty years ago.

"Bella!" he called, his musical voice causing me to freeze in place. I hadn't heard the sound in fifty years, and I committed it to memory, forbidding myself to ever forget it.

"Edward?" I heard Alice calling, tiny as an ant on the other side of the large lake. Edward and I both turned towards her. "Is that you over there?"

"I'm on the other side of the lake, Alice," Edward said, looking back at me. I looked back towards where Alice was, but she and the other Cullens were gone.

"Bella!" I was suddenly flying towards the ground, a thunder-like sound echoing through the forest.

"Hello, Alice," I said quietly, surprised.

"It's so good to see you again!" she squealed. "We thought-" She stopped mid-sentence, then, shaking her head with a sad smile. She didn't need to continue, though. I knew what she was going to say. They thought that they wouldn't see me again, that I had left for good…

They actually missed me?

Before I realized what was going on, I was on my feet again, having been pulled up by Alice.

"Where's your coven?" she asked, assuming, incorrectly, that I had traveled with company.

"I don't have one," I said, my voice much quieter than it used to be; I had no reason to talk in the longest time, and it had quieted from disuse. She looked surprised.

"Really? You've traveled alone all this time?" I nodded.

Edward still hadn't spoken since I had stopped, and I looked over to him, surprised by the conflicting emotions in his eyes, though his face was a blank slate, chiseled from the finest stone.

I was suddenly being led, well, _dragged_, towards the edge of the clearing by Alice.

"Um, Alice? Where are you taking me?" I asked.

"To our house, of course," Alice said, as if it were obvious. "We can catch up there."

I was curious to see their new home, and yet nervous to keep talking with them. I was especially nervous about "catching up" with Edward.

"Alright," I agreed, looking down so that I wouldn't have to watch her expression.

"Excellent."

"So, Bella." Emmett was suddenly right beside me, his expression cautious. I was ecstatic that all traces of hatred seemed gone.

"Yes, Emmett?" My tone was cautious as well.

"Am I forgiven?"

"Forgiven?" I echoed, confused.

"For being an ass before." He explained. He spoke as if it happened yesterday, as opposed to fifty years earlier. "I shouldn't have come at you like that. I was mad, but not at you."

I smiled, glad that he didn't hate me. "Yeah, I guess I forgive you."

"You guess?"

"Well, I have been waiting fifty years for this apology," I teased. He laughed.

Maybe catching up with the Cullens wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be. Well, except for with one Cullen in particular; I was terrified of _that_ conversation…


	7. Chapter 7

Catching Up

"We're here," Alice announced. She stood in front of a house similar to the one in Forks, except looking much newer, probably built within the last five years. I wondered why I hadn't noticed this house before, and just assumed that when I was hunting here, I never really paid attention to the scenery.

The inside of the house was beautiful, definitely designed by Esme. I noticed an elegant black piano in the far corner, with a single piece of music propped up on it. I couldn't see what the song was, though. I followed Alice up the stairs and into what I assumed was her room. (I call it only hers because, by the looks of things, Alice designed everything, and Jasper just used the room…) She sat on one end of her bed, and I sat on the other. I heard the others dispersing to other parts of the house. Nervous, I twirled two balls in the air using my telekinesis. They spun faster and faster as I became more nervous, and eventually, Alice shot out her hand and grabbed the balls out of the air.

"Sorry," I mumbled. She smiled softly.

"It was just getting on my nerves," she explained.

"So…" I wasn't really sure what to say.

"Where have you been these last fifty years?" she asked.

"Well, I lived with a coven for about twenty years or so, but that… didn't work out… so, since then, I've just hunted here in these forests." There wasn't really much to tell; it had been a very boring fifty years.

"Why didn't you stay with that other coven?" she asked. I looked down at her covers as I spoke.

"It just didn't work out," I said, even quieter.

"Why?" she insisted.

I sighed. "I just… the other four … they were together, and I…" I trailed off, embarrassed because I knew that Edward could hear what we were saying.

"He hasn't been the same, you know," Alice whispered, so quietly that, even though I was right next to her, I had to strain to hear. "He's always so sad, just staring blankly off into space. He even threw out all of his CDs."

I chanced a glance at her expression, and her eyes were sad, reliving some memory. I looked back down at her bed, ashamed that I had made him so sad.

"But, if he gave up music…" There was still a piano downstairs.

"He won't play it, but he refuses to get rid of it," Alice said, glancing at a spot that, a floor down, Edward's piano lie.

I didn't say anything. I felt immensely guilty for causing him all this pain, and for leaving in the first place. I remembered something, then.

"What happened when the Volturi came?" I asked her. She smiled, more genuinely.

"That … was very interesting. They wanted physical proof that you were turned, and yet, since you had left, we didn't have any."

"What happened?" I asked, curious.

"You remember Dimitri?" she asked me.

"The one who could find people?" I checked. She nodded.

"Well, his gift didn't work on you, as Edward suspected, so they were blind. They searched for you for about ten years, and, after that, they had more important things to take care of. Remember, the human mind is like a sieve; they probably were counting on your forgetting the entire vampire world."

"They presume me human," I said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes. But now that you're back, we can visit them, and sort everything out. They would consider it suspicious if we kept your immortality from them. It would seem like we have something to hide."

'Now that you're back to stay,' her words echoed in my head. _Was_ I back to stay? I didn't know…

I was so much happier than I had been in years, here, among my family, but wasn't the entire point of my leaving to leave their existences entirely? And yet here I was, sitting with Alice, fifty years later…

"You _are_ back, aren't you, Bella?" Alice asked. She must have seen my indecision.

"I… ," _I don't know_, I wanted to say, but… Could it really hurt to stay with a coven, to give being in a 'family' another try? It would only help things that I was familiar with them, already virtually a family member. I only had one person to worry about, and I was certain that I could avoid him, at least for a while…

"Yes," I finally said. "I'm back."

A knock on the door interrupted Alice musical laughter. Alice's expression was unreadable. I opened the door without looking, using my telekinesis. I turned to greet my new visitor, when it was Edward who greeted me.

So much for avoiding him…

But… chicken through and through, I used my gift to close the door again, locking it, just so there was no confusion.

I wasn't quite ready for that yet…

Alice sighed, her voice lowering so that I had to struggle to hear again, even with my unnaturally honed hearing.

"Don't be too harsh," she whispered. "He's in so much pain right now… It's killing him that you're avoiding him."

This hurt, more than I was sure she could comprehend. I had returned, and yet I was still hurting him.

Was it really right for me to stay here? Should I leave now, while I still can?

"No!" Alice insisted, her voice much louder now. "Oh, Bella, please don't leave. I thought you were going to stay!"

"You're leaving, Bella?" Emmett asked, opening the door with ease, not realizing that it was locked.

"Emmett!" Alice shrieked. "You broke my door!"

Emmett looked down, realizing that he had torn the lock from the door. He kicked the small metal piece away from him, as if it were a disease, before looking back up at Alice with a sheepish expression.

"Oops…"

" 'Oops?' " Alice quoted sourly. " 'Oops?' You break my door, barge in uninvited, and all you have to say is '_Oops_?' "

"Sorry?" Emmett offered, uncomfortable.

"Alice sighed. "You're buying me a new door."

"Okay, fine, good, great!" Emmett said in a rush, eager to seize Alice's anger.

Alice pouted, but turned to me.

"Are you really going to leave already, Bella?" Alice asked sadly, her voice disappointed, like a child who was just told they wouldn't get their ice cream after all.

I hesitated. "I'm not sure if staying would be a good idea…" I said slowly, my gaze flickering towards where Edward had stood only a minute before.

Alice caught on.

"Both of you are _at least_ seventy years old," she said, exasperated. "Can't you two have a civil conversation with each other? Talk, work things out? I don't want such an unnecessary uncomfortable-ness to cause you to leave. You just got here," she whined.

"Well. . . I'm not sure we will have time to do that," I said, grasping at straws. I _really _didn't want to talk to him yet. "I mean, school will be starting soon, and-"

"Why doesn't now work?" Emmett interrupted me. I glowered at him. Why was everybody turning on me? Surely _somebody_ understands…

Yes, I realized. Once person _does_ understand. The one person I _don't _want to talk to right now. Edward.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Chapter Notes:

**(A/N: Sorry that it took forever. I got really sick and was in the hospital for a while. Hopefully, the chapter will be worth the wait. So… here it is. Read. Enjoy. Review. You know the deal. :D )**

Eventually

"I _will_ talk to him," I persisted, desperate to get out of this. As much as I hated how I had made Edward feel, I was _not_ ready to talk to him. Alice sighed.

"You know, you two have to talk eventually," she told me, her voice reprimanding.

"I know," I said honestly. I did know that I would have to face him. Eventually. But not yet.

"Bella…" Alice's tone was disapproving.

"I'm over seventy now, Alice," I told her, praying that she would just drop it. "I think I can make my own decisions."

Please, please, please…

Alice sighed.

"You are unbelievable." She shook her head in disbelief, but was letting it drop for now. I smiled gratefully.

There was a loud banging sound from downstairs. I recognized it as the front door to their house. I couldn't smell Edward anymore.

Alice and I both sighed.

We were both silent, then, and that gave me time to think. Time to think was a very bad thing.

I knew what I was doing to him. Edward wanted to talk to me. Alice said my avoiding him was 'killing him.' And I didn't want to cause the one person who meant more to me than anyone else in the universe to feel pain. Especially not because of me.

But…

I had left for a reason. I left, fifty long, lonely years ago, for the sole purpose of not hurting Edward any more. And yet, even now that I'm back, I'm still managing to hurt him.

I can't win.

But should I talk to him yet?

I was torn. Part of me was screaming out that I must be insane to come up with even one reason to avoid him. That I should get up and look for him this minute. This instant.

And the other part of me was telling me that I wasn't ready yet. That I would have to do a lot of thinking before I talked to him. I didn't know what to do.

_What do I do?_

Alice frowned.

"I think you should talk to him," she told me. She must have 'seen' every time I changed my mind, I realized.

"It's not that simple," I mumbled.

"Yes it is," she persisted. "You stand up, you go find him, and you talk to him. Simple, simple, simple."

I shook my head, stubborn. I was still so torn…

"You're so _stubborn_, Bella!" Alice exclaimed, her voice exasperated again.

"Just talk to him and get over with it, Bella," Emmett said, back in his room on the bottom floor.

"It's not that simple," I repeated. "It's more complicated than that."

More silence.

Silence is still bad.

"Bella!" Emmett called, then, breaking the silence. Bless him.

"What?"

"Can you come down here?"

"Why?" I asked, suddenly wary.

"Why else?" he asked. "I want you to look at something."

I could just imagine him rolling his eyes.

"Fine," I groaned.

He laughed.

I used my telekinesis to open the door, and then ran, well, ran by human standards, downstairs to Emmett's room. I opened the door with my gift, and then walked in.

"What?" I repeated warily.

"You'll want to see this," he told me, grinning. "It's a alumni from the Forks High School reunion."

I walked up to him, sitting on his bed and looking over his shoulder at the list of familiar names and faces.

Angela and Ben got married. They have two kids. How sweet…

Jessica is on some reality series for people wanting to be a model. Of course…

Mike took over his parent's outdoor gear store. He's still single. I almost felt bad for him…

Tyler married Lauren, but then divorced five years ago. They don't speak, apparently. Odd…

So many faces, so many names, so many memories…

By then end of the list, I was laughing with Emmett, feeling happier than I had in almost fifty years.

This was where I belonged, I realized with a smile. This was my home, my family. No matter how I felt about Edward, Emmett was my brother, Alice, my sister. Here, among my family, was where I should say.

I was laughing at Mike's picture (he was almost bald now!), when I heard a phone dialing.

Just once.

"Come back," I heard Alice mumble into her phone. "Talk to her." There was a pause, and then. "Now, you know that isn't true. Just come home and sort everything out like an adult." Pause. "That is the lamest excuse I have ever heard, Edward. Just get back here." And then the line disconnected.

I stood up, annoyed.

"Alice," I growled.

"Bella, you two need to talk," Alice said firmly. "Just talk to him and get it over with."

The door opened, just a few hundred feet away, and then Edward was standing in the doorway. I wasn't looking at him, but I could feel him there. Even after all these years, I was hyperactively aware of Edward.

"Bella." His velvet, perfect voice was quiet, almost cautious.

"Edward," I spoke to him for the first time.

We both stood there for an immeasurable amount of time, before Alice growled, "That doesn't count as talking!"

Edward grumbled something I didn't catch.

"Might I talk to you in private, Bella?" he asked me, then, his voice louder, but strained somehow.

I was still so torn.

But my heart, though it may be dead, was aching to be with him, and, at the moment, my heart won over my head.

"Alright," I agreed, turning slowly, very slowly, to face him.

And he smiled.

Chapter End Notes:

So...

If I can get ten reviews, I'll post the next chapter. How about that? Seems fair to me...

It's just a matter of how badly you want the next chapter.

:D


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Chapter Notes:  
Sorry for the wait. And for the enormously unfair cliffy that I am going to leave you on. (Haha I can feel the frustration from you all already!) But just think, if you review at the end of this, I have the next, nice, good chapter ... so it will come faster. (Hint hint!!!)

I followed Edward, growing more and more nervous with each step. It had been fifty horrible years since I had left him, and a small part of me wondered if it was even slightly possible that he didn't completely hate every molecule of my being.

He led me outside, to a small clearing by his house. He walked to the middle, before turning towards me, a million emotions clashing in his topaz eyes.

Neither of us quite seemed to know what to say, and the awkward silence stretched on. I resisted the urge to simply run back to the house, to Alice, and Emmett. I was much more comfortable around them. I knew they didn't hate me. But with Edward?

I wasn't at all sure.

"It's been a long time," I finally whispered.

"Bella," Edward whispered, his eyes closed. His face was carefully composed, and his voice was too even for me to trust. "Where have you been?"

"You heard me talking to Alice," I said in a low voice. The awkward silence continued, becoming very uncomfortable. I became desperate to break it, then.

"So, have you…" I trailed off, and then changed questions. That one was too painful. Knowing whether or not he had moved on was too painful for just now. I asked another question instead. Less painful. "What have you been up to, then?"

His expression remained carefully blank, but his eyes showed the pain that I had put him through. I resisted the urge to throw myself into his arms and beg for forgiveness.

"Nothing."

"In fifty years, you haven't done anything?" I said skeptically. He didn't smile.

"Not really. I stayed at home, got rid of some stuff I didn't need or want anymore…" he trailed off, the pained look coming back.

"Alice told me that you don't listen to your music," I told him. "Why?"

He didn't answer me. He looked like he wanted to ask me something, but was hesitating.

"What?" I asked him. "What is it?"

He still hesitated, but then spoke, very swiftly, so that I had to concentrate to catch his words.

"I don't suppose you'd tell me why you ran."

I froze. He was watching me carefully, seeming almost afraid of what my answer would be.

"Edward…" I trailed off. "I ran… because that was what was …best," I finished quietly. It was for the best. I broke my heart, ran from the one thing that mattered most to me in this world, to protect him.

"What was best?" This sparked emotion in him. He seemed almost angry. He laughed once without humor. "Bella, you devastated everybody when you ran. How is that for the best?"

I closed my eyes, taking a deep, slow breath.

"I was ruining your family," I whispered, reliving the painful memory as I spoke, barely able to have a voice at all. "Your family was falling apart because of me. I just… I had to leave. I couldn't stand seeing so much harm come to your family."

There was a rustling of the leaves, and I opened my eyes. He was right in front of me, taking my hands and looking me directly in the eye. My breath caught.

"Bella," he said, holding my gaze. "The only harm that had come to our family was when you had left it. You can't imagine how sad everybody was. You did absolutely nothing to hurt this family; why you should believe so is beyond me."

I shook my head, sure that he was wrong. "Before, with Emmett-"

"Emmett has a temper, and it had nothing at all to do with any actions on your part," he interrupted. "Bella, why is it that you're so set on believing that you were hurting our family?"

I picked up on the word 'our,' and became dangerously close to hoping.

"Because it's true," I insisted. "Because of me, Rosalie ran away, and Emmett attacked you, and then me…" I trailed off.

I chanced a look at his face, his glorious, beautiful, perfect face, to see that he was not angry. His expression was soft, kind.

"Bella." His voice was pure velvet, and his gaze became more intense as he spoke. "I swear to you that the only pain you caused us was when you left. You can't imagine how painful it was, for me to watch you leave, for you to run like that, and then simply disappear. For fifty years, it was absolutely miserable. And then I saw you, in the lake, as if my some miracle, but you ran again. You avoided me, time and time again. I have to ask you – Why?"

"I was… I am… so torn, Edward. On the one hand, I left for a reason, and a part of me kept telling me to leave, so that I wouldn't hurt you all more. But on the other hand…" I trailed off, shaking my head. "I'm so confused."

And then he kissed me.

Chapter End Notes:

Yay Edward!  
Haha, now I know how much you hate me right now, but don't worry! If you all review nice and fast-like, the wait will be very very very short!!!! Because I have the next one just WAITING to be posted.  
Hint hint hint hint hint!!!!!!!!!!!

Reviews happy me UPDATE!!!!

YAY!  
xD


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: NEXT CHAPTER!!**

**Alright, I decided that we've been serious for long enough. Now? We have some fun. With who, you ask? Why, EMMETT, of course!**

**And, of course, a million thank yous to my beta, **_edwards.eclipse_ . **I am forever grateful of your brilliant editing.**

**Also, I know that the style is weird, but I can't figure out how to fix that...so... you'll just have to read it this way!!**

'And then he kissed me.'

His cool, marble lips crushed against mine with an almost desperate edge as  
he wrapped his arms around me. I was still for a moment, too shocked to move,  
before I found myself kissing him back, my arms trailing up his chest to lock  
around his neck. His arms tightened around my waist, pulling me closer, so  
that there was no space between us. Eventually I unlocked my arms from around  
his neck, moving them to his face, committing every inch of it to memory.

When he pulled away, we were both gasping unnecessarily for breath, my head  
against his stone chest, his arms still wrapped around me.

"Never leave again," he whispered softly. "You have no idea how much it  
hurt when you were gone."

"Never again," I echoed, relief pulsing through me. Edward didn't hate  
me. I didn't think it was possible to be this relieved. I laughed shakily.

"What?" he asked me.

"I'm just so relieved," I answered honestly. "I was sure that you  
hated me because of what I had done."

He was shaking his head before I was even finished. "Bella, you don't  
seem to understand that I couldn't ever hate you. It's far too impossible  
when I care for you this much."

"Now who's talking nonsense," I mumbled. But my dead heart inflated in  
my chest at his words, hoping so desperately to believe them.

"Bella." He turned my head so that I was looking at him. "I love you  
more than you can ever know. Never doubt that."

His eyes were burning with the sincerity of his words, and I knew he could  
see how my eyes thrilled to his words.

I then heard a buzzing sound, one that didn't fit in with our surroundings.  
Edward's pocket was vibrating, I realized. He reached down and pulled out  
his small, silver cell phone, glancing at the caller ID, before opening it.

"Hello, Esme," he said pleasantly. I could feel myself smiling. Esme. I  
had missed her so much in the long, fifty years it had been since I had seen  
her last.

"Yes, it's true," Edward said, glancing down at me. "She's here  
with me." There was another pause. "Alright, we'll head back now  
then." He closed the phone, then, and answered my unasked question.

"Esme wants us to come back so she can see you," he told me, smiling. I  
nodded, and he took my hand firmly in his, before heading back towards his  
house.

When we got back to the house, I barely had a chance to breathe before Esme  
was hugging me, her arms tight around me. Edward released my hand, stepping  
back.

"Oh, Bella, dear, it's so good to see you again!" she gushed.

"It's very nice to see you again, Esme; I've missed you all a lot."

"Welcome back, Bella," Carlisle said, with a smile.

"Thank you, Carlisle."

Esme released me, and before anybody could say anything more, Alice was in  
front of me.

"Bella. Room. Now," she said, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. She grabbed  
my hand and yanked me up the stairs to her room. I glanced back behind me as  
she dragged me. Carlisle and Esme seemed amused, while Edward was upset.

"Why am I being kidnapped?" I asked her once we were both sitting on her  
bed. She was still grinning at me, bouncing up and down on the bed. I used my  
gift to close the door to her room, so that no one would come bursting in.

"You kissed Edward," she mouthed, still smiling enthusiastically.

At first I was confused as to why she wasn't speaking; Edward would hear  
anyways, because of her thoughts. Then I realized that Alice was probably  
blocking him.

I nodded, biting my lip.

Alice squealed happily, clapping her hands together.

"Technically, he kissed me first," I mouthed back.

"But you guys made up?" she clarified.

I nodded, and she squealed again.

We both laughed, until we were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"What?" Alice asked, neither of us bothering to open the door.

"You're holding my sister hostage," Emmett accused her, trying to open  
the door. I used my gift to hold it closed. Alice laughed again.

"No I'm not," she objected. "Sisters can spend time together too, you  
know."

"I'm not a toy, you know," I protested.

"Yes you are, and right now it's my turn to play with you," Alice  
informed me with another of her tinkling giggles.

"Open the door," Emmett complained.

"No!" Alice and I exclaimed at the same time, before both bursting out  
laughing. They had never felt more like family to me than they did now; I felt  
as if I truly belonged, and the thought made me giddy with elation.

I heard Emmett stomping away, frustrated, and that set us off again. As soon  
as we couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, Alice turned back to me.

"How did the kiss come up?" she demanded, mouthing again.

I raised my eyebrows, remembering my human days, where I would have blushed  
if she had asked me such a question.

"Well?" She prodded.

"He just… kissed me," I mouthed back. "We were talking, and  
then…"

She frowned at me. "That's not very romantic," she criticized.

I laughed. "Take it up with Edward."

Alice opened her mouth to protest, presumably, when yet another loud knock on  
the door broke into our conversation.

"Go away, Emmett," we said in unison. I covered my mouth to hold back the  
giggles.

A groan from behind the door told me we were right in our guess as to who was  
behind the door. But, a few seconds later, more voices gathered around.

"Emmett," I heard Jasper complaining. "What is so important that you  
had to drag me in from the yard?"

Alice and I burst out laughing again, picturing the scene.

"They won't open the door," Emmett complained petulantly.

"So?"

"So make them open it." Emmett said as if his answer was unbelievably obvious.

Pause.

"Why?" Jasper asked, still not seeing what was so important  
about opening the offending object.

Emmett said something that I didn't catch, and apparently Alice didn't  
either, because we both frowned.

"Fine, then," Jasper agreed. "I'll try. How should I open it?"

"Help me break the door."

"Emmett, don't you dare!" Alice screeched indignantly.

'Don't worry,' I mouthed at her, winking. I looked over to the door,  
focusing on it.

"One… two… three!" Emmett yelled. There was the sound of running, and  
then two very loud smacking sounds. Followed by two softer sounds as they fell  
to the floor.

Alice smiled widely at me. "Thank you!" she mouthed enthusiastically,  
clapping her hands in excitement.

"Why didn't it work?" Emmett wondered aloud.

"Is Bella in there?" Jasper asked.

"Yes..."

"Then she won't let you in. You have to get her to open it of her own will. She'll be holding it closed with her gift."

"Your husband is smarter than I give him credit for," I laughed. Alice  
joined in, nodding her head, and a playful growl could be heard outside the  
door, presumably originating from Jasper.

"You're asking for it, Bella," Jasper warned me. I could feel a very  
strong emotion washing over me, and I knew immediately that it was Jasper's  
doing. The emotion, you ask?

Exhaustion.

"Jasper, that's not fair," I complained as my lids slowly drooped. "I  
haven't slept in fifty years, and now you are teasing me with what should be  
the result of it?"

My lids closed the rest of the way, and I could feel my concentration  
failing.

"One… two…" Emmett was counting again.

"Bella!" Alice yelled, right in my ear. Ouch. I jolted upwards, realizing  
that they were about to get in, and reinforced the door again. The thuds were  
louder this time, and Emmett swore as he hit the ground.

"Dammit, Alice!" Emmett yelled. "Just let me in!"

Alice stuck out her tongue at the door, causing yet another bout of  
laughter.

"Want to have some more fun?" I mouthed at her. She nodded, giggling.

Jasper sensed our sudden flare of excitement.

"Emmett," Jasper said slowly. "I'm not sure you want to keep doing  
this. This doesn't really bode well for us…"

I grinned, and creaked open the door, just a little bit.

"It's open!" Emmett exclaimed and lunged at the door. Slam! He swore  
again.

"Language Emmett," Esme called out sweetly from downstairs.

"Told you," Jasper muttered.

"Again!" Alice demanded.

"Will it work again?" I wondered.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and then she nodded.

"Emmett…" Jasper sensed our excitement again and there was more warning  
in his voice this time. "I wouldn't."

"It's open!" Emmett lunged forwards. Thud! This time, I could hear  
Edward laughing, a floor below.

"Do it again, Bella, I dare you," he challenged.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Emmett asked, annoyed. Nobody replied to  
that, Alice shaking with silent laughter beside me.

All of a sudden I heard footsteps, and Rosalie was behind me. I yelped.

"Bella?" Edward asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," I assured him. Then I turned to Rosalie. "How on Earth  
did you get in here?"

She jerked her thumb towards the closet next to us. "Other door."

Okay… maybe not a closet then…

The howling laughter picked up again from downstairs.

"I think your question was just answered, Emmett," Edward yelled.

**A/N: YAY! They made up! AAaaaannd, we had tons of fun with my teddy bear Emmett!**

_-whispering in background-_

**Wait...what? Emmett isn't mine?? But...but...he just HAS to be!!**


End file.
